Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets The Winter's Tale

In this lesson, our instructor Rebekah Hendershot teaches The Winter’s Tale. You’ll go over the complete background of the play, the setting, and the characters. Rebekah explains each character in detail, including Leontes, Hermione, Polixenes, Camillo, Paulina, Antigonus, Perdita and everyone in between. You’ll learn each element of the plot from Polixenes visit to Leontes to the final scene at Paulina’s house. Themes, major passages, and essay topic jumping-off points are also covered. With Rebekah you’ll discuss topics such as traditional fairy tales, the influence of women in the play, innocence and guilt, and Hermione’s return. The lesson concludes with a few secrets to make understanding Shakespeare a lot easier.

The Winter's Tale

First Things First

This lesson will teach you how to read and understand a play by William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights in the history of the English language (and the man who invented quite a lot of it).

These videos are not a substitute for reading Shakespeare, listening to Shakespeare, or watching Shakespeare performed.

Seriously. Don’t be that guy.

Background

Written 1610 – 1611

Taken from Robert Green’s pastoral romance Pandosto

Not published during Shakespeare’s lifetime (First Folio, 1623)

Very late in style, not as heavily adapted as other plays

Setting

“Sicily” and “Bohemia”

Desert coasts without a coast, or a desert

Lots of classical names

Major Characters

Leontes—Jealous king of Sicily who accuses his wife of adultery and sends his infant daughter to be killed.

Hermione—Queen of Sicily, wife of Leontes, innocent of the charges against her.

Polixenes—King of Bohemia, childhood friend of Leontes, accused of adultery with Hermione.

Camillo—Sicilian nobleman who helps Polixenes escape death.

Paulina—Sicilian noblewoman, friend and defender of Hermione, wife of Antigonus.

Antigonus—Sicilian nobleman, loyal to Leontes, agrees to help kill the infant princess.

Perdita—Sicilian princess raised by a shepherd.

Dion and Cleomenes—Two Sicilian lords sent to Delphi/Delphos to ask about Hermione’s guilt.

Mamilius—Leontes and Hermione’s son; he dies young.

Florizel—Prince of Bohemia who falls in love with Perdita.

Shepherd—Perdita’s adoptive father.

Clown—Perdita’s adopted brother.

Autolycus—A peddler and thief who ends up helping the lovers.

Plot

Polixenes visits Leontes

Leontes suspects Hermione

Polixenes and Camillo flee

Hermione imprisoned

A trip to the oracle

A daughter is born, and rejected

Hermione on trial

A message from the oracle

Mamilius dies

Hermione dies?

Antigonus and the baby

“Exit, pursued by a bear”

Perdita adopted

Prince Florizel finds the countryside veryinteresting

Polixenes and Camillo go in disguise

The sheep-shearing

Autolycus and the Clown

The two lovers

The betrothal

The reveal

An escape

Camillo has an idea

Swapping clothes

Autolycus’ prank

At the Sicilian court

The couple received

Perdita’s identity revealed

A happy ending all around?

At Paulina’s house

The statue of Hermione

Forgiveness and betrothal

A question about that statue …

Themes

Two halves

Jealousy and forgiveness

Gender

Redemption

Love

Madness and magic

Major Passages

“A sad tale’s best for winter …”

-Act II, Scene 1

“I am a feather for each wind that blows …”

-Act II, Scene 3

“Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance.”

-Act IV, Scene 4

“If this be magic, let it be an artLawful as eating.”

-Act V, Scene 3

Jumping-Off Points

Contrast the characters of Leontes and Florizel. How are their attitudes and actions different? How are they similar? How does Shakespeare set these characters up as foils for one another?

The Winter’s Talehas elements of both comedy and tragedy. How is the play two stories at once? Why do you think Shakespeare chose to do this?

What elements does The Winter’s Talehave in common with traditional fairytales? How does it diverge from them?

How does Shakespeare use women in this play? How does their influence change the story from a tragedy to a comedy?

The origin of Leontes’ jealousy is never explored—and that’s what makes it so frightening. Compare Leontes to other jealous Shakespearean characters like Othello. How is his portrayal different? How is it similar?

In classical mythology, Autolycus was the son of Hermes and the most gifted mortal thief who ever lived. Discuss his role in the play. How does he affect the plot and tone?

Is The Winter’s Talea comedy? A tragedy? A romance? Discuss.

How does Shakespeare deal with the notions of innocence and guilt (both legal and psychological) in this story?

Was Hermione’s return a miracle or a trick? Discuss.

The Secret of Understanding Shakespeare

Watch it performed (or on film if you can’t get to a theatrical production). All of Shakespeare makes more sense when it’s spoken by actors who have lived his words and know, bone-deep, what he’s talking about. Never underestimate the power of performance. Remember that this is how Shakespeare meant his work to be seen …

The Winter's Tale

Lecture Slides are screen-captured images of important points in the lecture. Students can download and print out these lecture slide images to do practice problems as well as take notes while watching the lecture.

Related Books & Services

Grammarly is the world's leading software suite for perfecting written English. It checks for more than 250 types of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, enhances vocabulary usage, and suggests citations.